Foo - Rant du Jour

So yesterday, I'm going grocery shopping when I happen to witness what I think was a major epileptic seizure. A rather ragged looking woman with a 12 case of beer has collapsed coming out of the store (didn't see that part) and is now severely cramping and thrashing around on the ground, right in front of the door. I go over and try to make sure she doesn't hit her head or anything. She's bleeding slightly from her mouth, but at least she's clearly breathing.

There's an older lady behind me, going into the store, who stops too and comments knowingly "It seems she is under the influence". I glance around to her and notice she has an empty canvas shopping bag in her hand. I ask for the bag to put it under the person's head while I'm fumbling for my cell phone to call an ambulance. When I'm finishing the emergency call, I notice the old windbag walking into the store, clutching her precious bag tightly, never to be seen again. I shout at her, "at least get the store security here". Apparently, she cannot be bothered. Another customer gets help. The situation calms down as seizures stop and she gradually comes to her senses. Ambulance arrives and takes her to further examination. She says she doesn't have epilepsy, which of course makes things that much more worrying.

Now I consider myself quite the cynic although it's something I try to get rid of. And I understand anyone being hesitant to actually do anything in a situation like this, especially if someone else is already taking some action, any action. But if I ever reach a point where I cannot spare a goddamned EUR 1,5 shopping bag to help prevent a seizure victim peeling their face against dirty pavement, be they under influence or not, I might as well go and kill myself. Geeze. :notamused:

First off, good for you for helping - this lady is lucky you were there for her. As for the other lady, she might think she is above other people but she is really quite low.

Sadly,s ome things never change. Your story immediately brought to mind the story of the Good Samaritan. Thanks for doing what you could for another human in need.

Sadly,s ome things never change. Your story immediately brought to mind the story of the Good Samaritan. Thanks for doing what you could for another human in need.

+1 I wonder if shopping bag lady would have behaved differently if the woman was well dressed and didn't have beer. Refusing to help someone because you think they're drunk is not a valid excuse.

After the ambulance arrived, I went to lock my bike and do my shopping. I actually tried to look for the old lady to give her my 2 EU cents, but it's a big store, I couldn't find her. She could have left already via any of the other exits. Probably for the better too, I doubt anything I could say would change the private little hell she has chosen to live in.

BTW, I generally don't think too highly of security personnel, but the two young guys that arrived to the scene were really professional. The seizure victim was scared and confused initially, they kept talking to her, asking her simple questions, keeping eye contact, calming her down. By the time the ambulance arrived, she was still confused but a lot more at ease.

You did the right thing, I hope someone with your values is around if I should ever need help. Thanks to you it's a better community, a caring community.

The other lady may have been coherent enough to act, but that's not always the case. Fear causes people to freeze up, and getting people to stop staring and move is the first step in both first aid and martial arts. The one time I did the Heimlich maneuver on someone was in a room with about 25 other people I knew and respected. One guy had started before me, but he wasn't getting the job done and everyone else was just kind of watching when I got up to take over - they knew something else needed to be done but didn't know what that was and were kind of paralyzed by things.

I have come across many things on the city streets - people falling in an intersection, disabled people lost in the street, etc - I run for them. The worst was coming down a three story glass building escalator and a man caught my eye - he looked like he was being electrocuted - yet leaning/laying on a plastic fence - so I start running down the escalator - and yes there were people with me - standing on their individual steps and pointing at the man with the issue - I push them aside. EXCUSE ME!!!

I have my phone in my hand as I run outside (I did very well btw in high heels) and got out to see an RG&E (our electric company) van pull over and a man run out and start looking at the man - an ambulance was called. The man was having a seizure. Scary stuff. I waited with the RG&E people for the ambulance and it seemed like this man was going to be ok. But still, scary stuff.

Don't be too upset with the old lady. Her bad behavior is mostly ignorance.
I had no idea what seizures were my first time and I behaved poorly too. I had just arrived in Germany and didn't speak any German. A man in the Cologne train station collapsed on top of my bike case, knocking it flat and started flopping around. I was terrified and didn't know what was going on. He knocked my case over and was flopping on the sidewalk and people were gathering around to help. I picked up my case and walked quickly away, afraid of being blamed for what happened, (and I'm ashamed to admit worried about my bike inside, and afraid it was some kind of scam aimed at a young tourist.)
True, ignorance is no excuse; but instead of giving her your 2 cents, maybe you could enlighten her about seizures. (I sure felt terrible when I told my mom about it and she told me what had actually happened.)
In either case, it serves no one for you to become cynical or angry. Cynicism is contagious sometimes and you don't want to catch the old lady's. :)

Carrying 12 cases of beer is a feat I could do at age 18:50:

You did real good. When people have seizures, their muscles tense up tight restricting blood flow pretty much everywhere especially to the brain. Talk to them calmy and help them to relax and lay down. Place something under their feet to elevate them and help get blood flowing back to the head.
This will help the seizure to end quicker and make it easier for the victim to get over his/ her sense of confusion and fear quicker.

Heat from a blanket or coat can help to relax the muscles and also aid in ending the seizure sooner.

Ernest
Not a doctor but does like to play doctor

Security guys have probably had to do a first aid course.